Cam or not a cam.

I have a 68 5.7 in my 80 Olds Cutlass Supreme on a TH400.

I plan to pull the motor and clean it up because:

1. The rear main seal needs to be replaced….
2. I have some moisture on the oil fill cap, maybe a head gasket leak. So I plan to tear the motor down to the heads anyway.

Thoughts and suggestions on a cam for street use?

Thanks

RonzOldz

 

The moisture on the oil fill cap could be nothing more than condensation. It takes something like 50-100 miles of cruising to get rid of the moisture produced within an engine. If you do a lot of stop and go driving you'll get that moisture. Just have to do more oil changes.
If you still suspect it's a head gasket white smoke may be present coming from the exhaust as well as that sickly sweet smell of antifreeze. Check to see if the radiator is losing coolant or there are bubbles present in it.
As far as the cam, many will chime in soon on this. My recommendation is something in the 215-220 range for duration at .050 and under .500 lift if using stock components. I doubt you want to go too crazy with a SBO street engine.
Was the TH400 a swap to replace a 200R4?

 

Noted on the moisture. I plan to drain the oil and due a visual tomorrow. I do only drive 10 miles to and from work, mostly.

I still have to change the rear main. With that, paint the block and replace the stock oil pan for chrome. While the engine is out, do some clean up!

The TH400, story, back in 87, I40 heading west, tromped on the gas pedal and went from drive through 2nd to 1st. 2nd was gone! I had a partner who had a 72 Buick something with a 400 short yoke. Minor mods on my Cutlass and I was set for $50. That tranny is too history. The one I now have has ceramic plates. Should last my life time.

Torque converter, I have a stock. I’m thinking about changing that out too. Thoughts?

The Cam, you are the first. I will hear the crowd’s voice.....

 

I would go back with a stock 85 442 cam for a vin 9 code engine. It is still mild but has good low and mid RPM power. Peters out above 5000.

 

Suggestions or reccomendations?

Autozone: RPM 1000-7000 Duration 275/282; Lift .476/.508 (219 int./275 exh) $240
Summit: RPM 2000-5500 Duration 276/284; Lift .520/.542 (214 int./222 exh) $440

 

Either would work. Use good moly paste lube on the lifter feet and the lobes. Use oil with high ZDDP content, or Comp Cams #159 additive. Change the oil right after the 30 min @ 2000-2500 rpm breakin, and again after a couple hundred miles to get all the moly out--it plugs the oil filter media. I like Comp Cams; all I have gotten were accurately ground and worked well. Something like the 268HE would work, or something similar from the dual energy etc. series.

 

Wouldn't cam selection depend a lot on the rear end ratio? For example, my 70 Cutlass came with a 2.56 ratio stock, more cam would have killed the lack of low/medium power even more then it started with. I went to a 3.42 before I made any engine mods, every change has to be able to work with the existing components to get good results. There is a lot of info missing before modifications can be recommended. Is it a low or high compression pistons? Single or dual exhaust, rear gear ratio? etc etc........